A FORK lift truck driver who killed a Guildford College student cycling home on the A3 destroyed his car the same morning to remove evidence of the collision.

Driver David Harris, 33, had a change of heart when he saw a report on the incident the next evening and handed himself in to police.

Guildford Crown Court heard on Wednesday that student Damian Jeffrey, 25, had been drinking with friends before deciding to cycle home along the northbound A3 in the early hours of July 4 last year.

He was hit by Harris’ Vauxhall Vectra at 2.40am and died at the scene after paramedics were unable to resuscitate him.

Prosecutor Robin Sellars told the court Harris drove away from the scene, arriving at his home in Worcester Park more than one hour later.

“He had worked driving a forklift truck from 7am until 4pm before driving home at 5pm,” he said. “He went on to Goodwood in Sussex where, he told police, he had three pints of medium-strength lager.

“After the incident he arrived home where, after a discussion with his mother, he decided to take the vehicle to a scrapyard.”

Mr Sellars told the court Harris was spotted on CCTV at the scrapyard at 7am, where staff were surprised to see the car in perfect condition apart from damage to the front.

However, at 7pm he handed himself in at Esher Police Station after seeing a television news report an hour earlier.

In an interview at Guildford Police Station, he admitted driving the car and confessed it had been scrapped. He told them he was exhausted after a long day at work and his evening’s activities at the race meeting in Goodwood.

Friends of Harris later told police he was not drunk when he set off from Sussex.

Defending, Andrew Turton said the Australian-born student had been spotted by several drivers as he did not appear to have lights on the bicycle.

“This part of the A3 did not have any lights, apart from the ones emanating from the service station nearby,” he said.

“He was seen by a couple who were so concerned, they stopped at the service station and informed police.”

By the time the police arrived, Mr Jeffrey was discovered lying by the roadside next to his damaged bicycle.

Mr Turton said Harris has since driven more than 25,000 miles with many trips for work or to visit family in Scotland.

He also had no points since passing his test six years ago and has avoided driving at night since the incident.

“He has continued to express deep remorse and regret for his actions,” he said. “Police have acknowledged that if it were not for his swift co-operation, it would have been extremely difficult to find a culprit.”

Judge Derek Inman said disqualification from driving was inevitable after Harris admitted failing to stop at the scene.

“You say you thought you had hit debris or an animal but, whatever you thought it was, you did not stop. However, it is very much to your credit that when you found out, you reported to the police and expressed sympathy to the victim.”

Harris will have to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and his licence will be endorsed.

He was banned from driving for a year and received a £500 fine after pleading guilty to charges of driving without due care and attention, and failing to stop after the accident.

He was also sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for 18 months after admitting a charge of perverting the course of justice.